apicibus flavescenti albo angustè marginatis; corpore supra obscure
olivaceo-viridi, plumâ singulâ obscurè fulvo late marginatâ; genis
gutture, corporeque infra flavescentibus; rostro rubro; pedibus
viridescenti-flavis._
Long. tot. 9 unc.; _alæ_, 5½; _caudæ_, 2½; _tarsi_, 1⅞; _rostrio_, ⅞.
Habitat, Ascension Island, Atlantic Ocean. (_July._)
This specimen was killed with a stick near the summit of the Island. It
was evidently a straggler, which had not long arrived. There is no
aboriginal land bird at Ascension.
ORDER—PALMIPEDES.
ANSER MELANOPTERUS. _Eyton._
PLATE L.
Anser melanopterus, _Eyton_, Monog. Anatidæ, p. 93.
Captain FitzRoy purchased a skin of this fine goose at Valparaiso, which
he has presented to the British Museum. There is another specimen at the
Zoological Society, which Mr. Pentland procured from the lake of
Titicaca, in Bolivia.
CHLOEPHAGA MAGELLANICA. _Eyton._
Anas Magellanica, _Gmel._ Syst. i. 505.
Chloephaga Magellanica, _Eyton_, Monog. Anatidæ, p. 82.
Bernicla leucoptera, _Less._ Trait d’Ornith. 627.
This goose is found in Tierra del Fuego, and at the Falkland Islands; at
the latter it is common. They live in pairs and in small flocks
throughout the interior of the island, being rarely or never found on
the sea-coast, and seldom even near fresh water lakes. I believe this
bird does not migrate from the Falkland Islands; it builds on the small
outlying islets. This latter circumstance is supposed to be owing to the
fear of the foxes; and it is perhaps from the same cause, that although
very tame by day, they are much the contrary in the dusk of the evening.
These geese live entirely on vegetable matter; they are called by the
seamen, the “upland geese.” Mr. Eyton, in his excellent Monograph on the
Anatidæ, has described the trachea of this bird, which I brought home in
spirits.
BERNICLA ANTARCTICA. _Steph._
Bernicla antarctica, _Steph._ Sh. Zool. xii. 59.
—— _Eyton_, Monograph, p. 84.
Anas Antarctica, _Gmel._ Syst. i. 505.
This goose is common in Tierra del Fuego, the Falkland Islands, and on
the western coast, as far north as Chiloe. It is called by the sailors
the “rock goose,” as it lives exclusively on the rocky parts of the
sea-coast. In the deep and retired channels of Tierra del Fuego, the
snow-white male, invariably accompanied by his darker consort, and
standing close by each other on some distant rocky point, is a common
feature in the landscape. Mr. Eyton has described the treachea of this
species, which I brought home.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 50._
_Anser melanopterus._
]
PÆCILONITTA BAHAMENSIS. _Eyton._
Pæcilonitta Bahamensis, _Eyton_, Monog. p. 116.
Anas Bahamensis, _Linn._ Syst. i. 199.
Mareca Bahamensis, _Steph._ Gen. Zool. xii. p. 137.
A specimen was procured from a small salt-water lagoon in the Galapagos
Archipelago (_October_.)
It was a male; bill, lead colour; base of superior mandible purple,
with a black mark in the upper part.
DAFILA UROPHASIANUS. _Eyton._
Dafila urophasianus, _Eyton_, Monog. Anatidæ. p. 112.
Anas urophasianus, _King_, Zool. Journ. iv. 351.
Bahia Blanca, Northern Patagonia.
RHYNCHASPIS MACULATUS. _Gould._
Rhynchaspis maculatus, _Gould_, in Jard. & Selby Illust. Orn. p. 147.
pl. 147.
Mr. Gould observes that, “A good figure of this beautiful shoveller may
be found in the 3rd vol. of Messrs. Jardine and Selby’s Illustrations of
Ornithology. Their figure was taken from an example which I forwarded to
those gentlemen with the name of _maculata_ attached: my specimen was
received from the Rio Plata, and this is also the locality whence (in
October) Mr. Darwin’s specimen was procured. The numerous and
conspicuous spots distributed over the body, renders this species
readily distinguishable from all the other members of the genus.”
1. QUERQUEDULA ERYTHRORHYNCHA. _Eyton._
Querquedula erythrorhyncha, _Eyton_, Monog. Anatidæ, p. 127.
Anas erythrorhyncha, _Spix_, Av. Nov. sp. pl.
My specimens were obtained from Buenos Ayres (_October_) and the Straits
of Magellan (_February_.)
2. QUERQUEDULA CRECCOÏDES. _Eyton._
Querquedula creccoïdes, _Eyton_, Monog. Anatidæ, p. 128.
Anas creccoides, _King_, Zool. Journ. iv. 99.
Mr. Gould observes that, “This species was first described by Mr.
Vigors, from a specimen in the collection brought from the Straits of
Magellan, by Capt. P. P. King. It is a true teal, and in size and form
closely assimilates to the common teal of Europe, and to the species
inhabiting North America (_Querquedula Carolinensis_, Bonap.) to both of
which it is evidently an analogue, and doubtless represents those birds
in the southern half of the American continent.” My specimens were
procured from the Rio Plata, and from the Straits of Magellan.
MICROPTERUS BRACHYPTERUS. _Eyton._
Micropterus brachypterus, _Eyton_, Monog. Anat. p. 144.
Anas brachytera, _Lath._, Ind. Orn. ii. 834.
These great logger-headed ducks, which sometimes weigh as much as
twenty-two pounds, were called by the old navigators, from their
extraordinary manner of paddling and splashing over the water,
race-horses, but now much more properly steamers. Their wings are too
small and weak to allow of flight, but by their aid, partly swimming and
partly flapping the surface of the water, they move very quickly. The
manner is something like that by which the common house duck escapes,
when pursued by a dog; but I am nearly sure that the steamer moves its
wings alternately, instead of, as in other birds, both together. These
clumsy birds make such a noise and splashing, that the effect is most
curious. The steamer is able to dive but a very short distance. It feeds
entirely on shellfish from the floating kelp and tidal rocks; hence the
beak and head are surprisingly heavy and strong, for the purpose of
breaking them. So strong is the head, that I have sometimes scarcely
been able to fracture it with my geological hammer; and all our
sportsmen soon discovered how tenacious these birds were of life. When
pluming themselves in the evening in a flock they make an odd mixture of
sounds, somewhat like bull-frogs within the tropics.
1. PODICEPS KALIPAREUS. _Quoy & Gaim._
My specimens were obtained from Bahia Blanca (September), Northern
Patagonia, and the Falkland Islands. In the former place it lived in
small flocks in the salt-water channels, extending between the great
marshes at the head of the harbour. At the Falkland Islands I saw
(March) very few individuals; and these only in one small fresh water
lake. Tarsi of the same colour as the plumage of the back; iris of a
beautiful tint, between “scarlet and carmine red;” pupil black. Mr.
Gould remarks that, “This beautiful species of _Podiceps_ is equal in
size, and has many of the characters of the _P. auritus_, but is at once
distinguished from that species by the silvery colouring of the plumes
that adorn the sides of the head; which in _P. auritus_ are deep
chestnut.”
2. PODICEPS ROLLANDII. _Quoy et Gaim._
Podiceps Rolland, _Quoy et Gaim_. Voy. de l’Uranie, pl. 36. p. 133.
I obtained specimens from the Falkland Islands (March), where it was
common at the head of the tortuous bays which intersect those islands;
from a fresh water lake near the Strait of Magellan (February); and from
the eastern coast of Chiloe. The male and female have the same plumage.
Iris of a fine red colour. Mr. Gould adds that, “this species appears to
be as nearly related to the _Podiceps cornutus_, as the preceding
species is to _P. auritus_, but is readily distinguishable from it, by
the white spot in the centre of the tuft of feathers that spring from
the sides of the face.”
3. PODICEPS CHILENSIS. _Garnot._
Le macas cornu, _Azara_, No. 443.
This specimen was procured in a fresh water lake near Buenos Ayres.
Capt. P. King brought home specimens from the salt-water channels in
Tierra del Fuego, where it is excessively numerous. It often makes a
very melancholy cry, which suits the gloomy climate of those desolate
shores.
SPHENISCUS HUMBOLDTII. _Meyen._
Spheniscus Humboldtii, _Meyen_. Nov. Act. Acad. Cæs. Leop. Car. Nat.
Cur. 1834, 110. pl. 21.
My specimen was obtained near Valparaiso. Meyen, who first described
this bird, procured it from the coast of Peru.
PUFFINUS CINEREUS. _Steph._
Puffinus cinereus, _Steph_. Gen. Zool. xiii. p. 227.
Procellaria puffinus, _Linn._
This bird frequents the seas on the whole coast of South America. I
obtained specimens from Tierra del Fuego, Chiloe, the mouth of the
Plata, and Callao Bay on the coast of Peru. It is likewise known to be
common in the Northern Hemisphere; this species, therefore, has a most
extensive range. It generally frequents the retired inland sounds in
very large flocks; although, occasionally, two or three may be seen out
at sea. I do not think I ever saw so many birds of any other sort
together, as I once saw of these petrels, behind the Island of Chiloe.
Hundreds of thousands flew in an irregular line, for several hours in
one direction. When part of the flock settled on the water, the surface
was blackened; and a cackling noise proceeded from them, as of human
beings talking in the distance. At this time, the water was in parts
coloured by clouds of small crustacea. The inhabitants of Chiloe told me
that this petrel was very irregular in its movements;—sometimes they
appeared in vast numbers, and on the next day not one was to be seen. At
Port Famine, every morning and evening, a long band of these birds
continued to fly with extreme rapidity, up and down the central parts of
the channel, close to the surface of the water. Their flight was direct
and vigorous, and they seldom glided with extended wings in graceful
curves, like most other members of this family. Occasionally, they
settled for a short time on the water; and they thus remained at rest
during nearly the whole of the middle of the day. When flying backwards
and forwards, at a distance from the shore, they evidently were fishing:
but it was rare to see them seize any prey. They are very wary, and
seldom approach within gun-shot of a boat or of a ship;—a disposition
strikingly different from that of most of the other species. The stomach
of one, killed near Port Famine, was distended with seven prawn-like
crabs, and a small fish. In another, killed off the Plata, there was the
beak of a small cuttle-fish. I observed that these birds, when only
slightly winged, were quite incapable of diving. There is no difference
in the plumage of the sexes. The web between the inner toes, with the
exception of the margin, is “reddish lilac-purple;” the rest being
blackish. Legs and half of the lower mandible blackish purple. From
accounts which I have received, the individuals of this species, which
live in the Northern Hemisphere, appear to have exactly the same habits
as those above described.
1. PELECANOIDES BERARDI. _G. R. Gray._
Puffinuria Berardi, _Less._ Tr. d’Orn. p. 614.
Procellaria Berardi, _Quoy et Gaim_. Voy. de pl. 31
This bird is common in the deep and quiet creeks and inland seas of
Tierra del Fuego, and on the west coast of Patagonia, as far north as
the Chonos Archipelago. I never saw but one in the open sea, and that
was between Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands. This bird is a
complete auk in its habits, although from its structure it must be
classed with the Petrels. To the latter Mr. Gould informs me, its
affinity is clearly shewn by the form of its beak and nostrils, length
of foot, and even by the general colouring of its plumage. To the auks
it is related in the general form of its body, its short wings, shape of
tail, and absence of hind-toe to the foot. When seen from a distance and
undisturbed, it would almost certainly be mistaken, from its manner of
swimming and frequent diving, for a grebe. When approached in a boat, it
generally dives to a distance, and on coming to the surface, with the
same movement takes flight: having flown some way, it drops like a stone
on the water, as if struck dead, and instantaneously dives again. No one
seeing this bird for the first time, thus diving like a grebe and flying
in a straight line by the rapid movement of its short wings like an auk,
would be willing to believe that it was a member of the family of
petrels;—the greater number of which are eminently pelagic in their
habits, do not dive, and whose flight is usually most graceful and
continuous. I observed at Port Famine, that these birds, in the evening,
sometimes flew in straight-lines from one part of the sound to another;
but during the day, they scarcely ever, I believe, take wing, if
undisturbed. They are not very wild: if they had been so, from their
habit of diving and flying, it would have been extremely difficult to
have procured a specimen. The legs of this bird are of a “flax-flower
blue.”
2. PELECANOIDES GARNOTII. _G. R. Gray._
Puffinuria Garnotii, _Less._ Voy. de l’Coqu. pl. 46.
Procellaria urinatrix, _Gm._ ?
My specimen was obtained at Iquique (lat. 20° 12′), on the coast of
Peru. M. Lesson, who first described this species, says (Manuel
d’Ornithologie, vol. ii. p. 394.), “Le _puffinure de Garnot_ habite par
grandes troupes le long des côtes du Pérou. Il vole médiocrement bien,
d’une manière précipitée et en rasant la mer; mais il préfère se tenir
en repos sur la surface des eaux, et plonge très frequemment à la
manière des grèbes, sans doute pour saisir les petits poissons qui
forment sa pâture.” An anatomical description of this bird is there
given.
1. PROCELLARIA GIGANTEA. _Gmel._
This bird, which is called by the English, “Nelly,” and by the
Spaniards, “Quebranta-huesos,” (properly an osprey,) is common in the
southern latitudes of South America. It frequents both the inland
sounds, and the open ocean far from the coast. It often settles and
rests on the water. The Nelly, in its flight and general appearance on
the wing, has many points of resemblance with the Albatross; but, as in
the case of that bird, it is in vain to attempt observing on what it
feeds; both seem to hunt the waters for days together, in sweeping
circles, with no success. In the stomach, however, of one which I
opened, there was the beak of a large cuttle-fish. The Nelly, moreover,
is a bird of prey: it was observed at Port St. Antonio, by some of the
officers of the Beagle, to kill a diver. The latter tried to escape,
both by diving and flying, but was continually struck down, and at last
was killed by a blow on its head. At Port St. Julian, also, these great
petrels were seen killing and devouring young gulls. The Nelly breeds on
several of the small islands off the coast of Patagonia; for instance,
Sea-Lion Island, in the mouth of the Santa Cruz. Most other species of
the family retire for the purpose of breeding to the Antarctic Islands.
I have often observed in the southern seas, a bird similar in every
respect to the Nelly, excepting in its plumage, being of a much more
intense black, and its bill rather whiter. I procured a specimen thus
coloured, at Port Famine, and had concluded that it was a distinct
species, until Mr. Low, (an excellent practical observer, long
acquainted during his sealing voyages with the productions of these
seas,) assured me that he positively knew, that these black varieties
were the one-year-old birds of the common greyish black Nelly.
2. PROCELLARIA GLACIALOÏDES. _A. Smith._
Procellaria glacialoïdes, _A. Smith_, Illust. of Zool. of S. Africa,
Aves, pl. 51.
I saw this petrel on both sides of the Continent south of lat. 30°; but
seldom more than two or three together. I am informed that it arrives in
Georgia in September for the purpose of breeding, and that it lays its
eggs in holes in the precipices overhanging the sea. On the approach of
winter it is said to retire from that island. My specimen was caught in
the Bay of St. Mathias (lat. 43° S.) by a line and bent pin, baited with
a small piece of pork; the same means by which the Pintado (_Dapt.
Capensis_)is so easily caught. It is a tame, sociable, and silent bird;
and often settles on the water: when thus resting it might from a
distance be mistaken, owing to the general colour of its plumage, for a
gull. One or two often approached close to the stern of the Beagle, and
mingled with the Pintados, the constant attendants on vessels traversing
these southern seas.
DAPTION CAPENSIS. _Steph._
Procellaria Capensis, _Linn._ Syst. i. 213.
This petrel is extremely numerous over the whole southern ocean, south
of the Tropic of Capricorn. On the coast, however, of Peru, I saw them
in lat. from 16° to 17° S., which is considerably farther north than
they are found on the shores of Brazil. Cook, in sailing south in the
meridian of New Zealand, first met this bird in lat. 43° 30′. The
Pintados slightly differ in some of their habits from the rest of their
congeners, but, perhaps, approach in this respect nearest to _P.
glacialoïdes_. They are very tame and sociable, and follow vessels
navigating these seas for many days together: when the ship is becalmed,
or is moving slowly, they often alight on the surface of the water, and
in doing this they expand their tails like a fan. I think they always
take their food, when thus swimming. When offal is thrown overboard,
they frequently dive to the depth of a foot or two. They are very apt to
quarrel over their food, and they then utter many harsh but not loud
cries. Their flight is not rapid, but extremely elegant; and as these
prettily mottled birds skim the surface of the water in graceful curves,
constantly following the vessel as she drives onward in her course, they
afford a spectacle which is beheld by every one with interest. Although
often spending the whole day on the wing, yet on a fine moonlight night,
I have repeatedly seen these birds following the wake of the vessel,
with their usual graceful evolutions. I am informed that the Pintado
arrives in Georgia for the purpose of breeding, and leaves it, at the
same time with the _P. glacialoïdes_. The sealers do not know any other
island in the Antarctic ocean excepting Georgia, where these two birds
(as well as the _Thalassidroma oceanica_) resort to breed.
THALASSIDROMA OCEANICA. _Bonap._
Thalassidroma oceanica, _Bonap._ Journ. Acad. Nat. Scien., Philadelphia,
vol. iii. p. 233.
Procellaria oceanica, _Forster_.
Pétrel échasse. _Temm._
I obtained this bird at Maldonado, near the mouth of the Plata, where it
was blown on shore by a gale of wind. These birds, although seeming to
prefer on most occasions the open ocean, and to be most active, walking
with their wings expanded on the crest of the waves, when the gale is
heaviest, yet sometimes visit quiet harbours, in considerable numbers.
At Bahia Blanca I saw many, when there was nothing in the weather to
explain their appearance. I was informed by a sealer, that they build in
holes on the sea cliffs of Georgia, where they arrive very regularly in
the month of September. No other place is known to be frequented by them
for the purpose of breeding.
PRION VITTATUS. _Cuv._
Procellaria Vittata, _Gmelin._ Syst. i. 560.
I did not procure a specimen of this bird, although I saw numbers on
both sides of the Continent from about lat. 35° S. to Cape Horn. It is a
wild solitary bird, appears always to be on the wing: flight extremely
rapid. Mr. Stokes (Assistant surveyor of the Beagle) informs me that
they build in great numbers on Landfall Island, on the west coast of
Tierra del Fuego. Their burrows are about a yard deep: they are
excavated on the hill-sides, at a distance even of half a mile from the
sea shore. If a person stamps on the ground over their nests, many fly
out of the same hole. Mr. Stokes says the eggs are white, elongated, and
of the size of those of a pigeon.
1. LARUS FULIGINOSUS. _Gould._
_L. Mas. corpore toto obscurè plumbeo-griseo, tegminibus caudæ
superioribus inferioribusque pallidioribus; rostro basi rubro, apice
nigro; pedibus nigris._
Long. tot. 16½ unc.; _alæ_, 13½: _caudæ_, 6; _tarsi_, 2⅛; _rostri_ 2⅜.
The whole of the plumage deep leaden grey; the upper and under tail
coverts being lightest; bill red at the base, black at the tip; feet
black.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago (_October_).
This species of gull has many characters in common with the _Larus
hæmatorhynchus_ of King, from the continent of S. America; but may at
once be distinguished from it by the general extreme duskiness of its
plumage, feet, tarsi, and bill; and by the more elongated form of the
latter. My specimen was killed at James Island. I observed nothing
particular in its habits. It is the only species of gull frequenting
this Archipelago.
2. LARUS HÆMATORHYNCHUS. _King._
Larus hæmatorhynchus, _King_, Zool. Journ. iv. 103.
—— _Jard. & Selb._ Ill. Orn. p. 106.
This bird was killed at Port St. Julian on the coast of Patagonia. Beak
(when fresh killed) of a pale “arterial blood red,” legs “vermilion
red.”
3. LARUS DOMINICANUS. _Licht._
Larus dominicanus, _Licht._ Cat. 82. sp. 846.
Grande Mouette, _Azara_, No. 409.
This gull abounds in flocks on the Pampas, sometimes even as much as
fifty and sixty miles inland. Near Buenos Ayres, and at Bahia Blanca, it
attends the slaughtering-houses, and feeds, together with the Polybori
and Cathartes, on the garbage and offal. The noise which it utters is
very like that of the common English gull (_Larus canus_, Linn.)
XEMA (CHROICOCEPHALUS) CIRROCEPHALUM. _G. R. Gray._
Larus cirrocephalus, _Vieill._ Nov. Dict. d’Histoire, 21. p. 502.
Larus maculipennis, _Licht._ Cat. 83. sp. 855.
Larus glaucodes, _Meyen_, Nov. Act. 1839, p. 115. pl. 24.
Mouette cendréc, _Azara_, No. 410.
This species so closely resembles the _Xema ridibundum_, Boie, that Mr.
Gould observes, he should have hardly ventured to have characterized it
as distinct; but as M. Vieillot and Meyen have deemed this necessary, he
adopts their view. I have compared a suite of specimens, which I
procured from the Rio Plata, the coast of Patagonia, and the Straits of
Magellan, with several specimens of the _Xema ridibundum_; the only
difference which appears to me constant, is that the primaries of the
_X. cirrocephalum_, in the adult winter plumage, both of male and
female, are tipped with a white spot (a character common to some other
species), whereas in the _X. ridibundum_ the points are black. The beak
of the latter species, especially the lower mandible, is also a little
less strong, or high in proportion to its length. In the immature stage,
I could perceive no difference whatever in the plumage of these birds.
The proportional quantity of black and white in the primaries, given by
Meyen as the essential character, varies in the different states of
plumage. The specimens described by this author were procured from
Chile.[30] The soles of the feet of my specimens were coloured, deep
“reddish orange,” and the bill dull “arterial blood red” of Werner’s
nomenclature.
In the plains south of Buenos Ayres I saw some of these birds far
inland, and I was told that they bred in the marshes. It is well known
that the blackheaded gull (_Xema ridibundum_), which we have seen comes
so near the _X. cirrocephalum_, frequents the inland marshes to breed.
It appears to me a very interesting circumstance thus to find birds of
two closely allied species preserving the same peculiarities of habits
in Europe and in the wide plains of S. America. Near Buenos Ayres this
gull as well as the _L. dominicanus_ sometimes attends the
slaughter-houses to pick up bits of meat.
RHYNCHOPS NIGRA. _Linn._